Emily Unveiled
by hippolover1326
Summary: Hotch is disturbed by a realization of what career Emily would be good at if she was not working at the BAU.
1. Suspicious

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 1 (Suspicious)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds. **

**Hi guys! So normally I write fanfiction for SVU, but this idea came to me a few days ago and I just had to write it down. **

**Hotch is disturbed by a realization of what career Emily would be good at if she was not working at the BAU.**

Aaron Hotchner flips the blinds in his office and watches his team in the bullpen. Reid is drinking coffee, and Morgan is flirting with Garcia (some things never change). Dave is walking over and tapping Reid on the shoulder. They appear to engage in an intellectual discussion of some sort, likely about whatever book Reid had read over the weekend. JJ is standing at the coffee maker when Emily walks over to her and says hello. After that, Hotch can't tell what they're saying, but Emily touches JJ's arm gently, encouragingly. Emily pulls back. If Hotch wasn't a profiler, he'd miss it, but he doesn't and neither does JJ. Hotch wonders what's up with them. He'll have to keep an eye on Prentiss today.

"Local case came up," Garcia says to their group at the next briefing. "Serial killers are attacking brunette women in their 30's" - her eyes flit for just a split second to Emily, as do everyone else's - "and dumping the bodies in trash dumpsters. They're up to four victims so far."

"If the UnSub is specifically attacking brunettes, the victims are obviously stand-ins for someone he cares about, and since his strength in dragging the bodies indicates he's probably also in his 30's, the stand-ins are probably for a previous girlfriend," Spencer announces.

Everyone tries to pretend they're not looking at Emily, including Emily herself, except Garcia, who pointedly looks in her direction. Emily remains calm, though, eyes pointed ahead.

"Okay." Hotch stands up. "Rossi and Morgan, go to the crime scenes, Reid and JJ, talk to the families, and Emily, come with me to the crime lab for forensics and DNA results."

Everyone follows suit and stands up. They gather their folders and walk to the car. In Hotch's car, Emily stares straight ahead. Hotch looks at her from the side. Her features are raven-like and sharp. He's not sure why this crosses his mind, but he wonders what sort of job Emily would be good at if he had not agreed to put her on the team. "Prentiss?"

"Hmm?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"What were you talking about with JJ this morning?"

Emily shrugs. "Henry and Will," she states simply.

Hotch knows this doesn't fit. However simple JJ's gesture was, the conversation most definitely had revolved around Emily in some way. Most likely, JJ doing the very same thing Hotch was doing now – attempting to see if Emily was okay. "All right," he agrees anyway.

**To be continued...I will post the next chapter very very soon!**


	2. Discovery

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Law and Order: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 2 (Discovery)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds. **

**Okay guys, here's Chapter 2 like I promised! By the way, this story takes place around Season 5. **

When Hotch and Emily arrive at the crime lab, the ME shows Hotch and Emily the first victim's body. She has many stab marks on her back, which the ME tells Hotch are from a left-handed perpetrator.

Emily, having played out the case in her head, stands over the victim, getting into the mind of the UnSub. "So, Hotch," Emily begins. "He hits her on the head, with...what, a baseball bat?"

"A brick," the ME states, wincing.

Emily demonstrates. "So he stands over her, like this, reaches across her back, and stabs her like this?"

"He would've had to do the stabbing very carefully to get marks like this, so she must have already been dead, or at least unconscious when he stabbed her," Hotch says rather absentmindedly (for Hotch anyway) because as he speaks something tickles the back of his mind. However, he pushes away in order to focus on the case...

* * *

A few days later, the team is back in Quantico. The last victim had ended up shooting the UnSub, who turned out to be an escapee from a mental ward.

Hotch has always felt that his team is like a family. Lately though, they haven't been as close as Hotch would hope. Each of them is a link in the chain, supporting each other, but Emily seems to think that she can make the chain stronger by refusing the support. Really though, that's weakening the team.

When Morgan brings JJ and Emily coffee, JJ smiles and thanks him. Emily smiles too, but Hotch can't help but notice that when she smiles, it rarely ever reaches her eyes. He's always felt that Emily was a puzzle that could never be solved. He was lucky if he could fit two or three pieces together. Hotch wonders why he's thought so much lately about Emily.

Suddenly something clicks. When Hotch saw Emily standing over the victim, in the mindset of the UnSub, he hadn't realized it then. But he sure as hell realizes it now.

The way Emily's emotions rarely cover even her whole face. The way she doesn't even flinch when she hears about crimes, sees the bodies and hears the stories. The way she pulls away from people who care, from their questions and their touch. The way Emily keeps her thoughts and feelings locked into a little box.

This all hits Hotch at once, and he realizes there is a job Emily would absolutely exceed at if she did not work for the FBI. Emily Prentiss, criminal analyst extraordinaire, would make an excellent serial killer.

**What do you guys think? I love Emily, but I can't help but wonder if she ****_would_**** make a good criminal...**


	3. Accident

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 3 (Accident)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds. **

**So, here's the next chapter. Although I am Russian, I haven't been to Russia in a while, so I might make some mistakes writing about it and such. But I will include some pronunciation help. :) Anyway, R&R!**

"Hey, Rossi," Morgan asks one day.

"Yeah?"

"The FBI and the CIA don't have...you know...assassins, do they?"

"Would you want to know if they did?" jokes Rossi. "But to answer your question, no. They don't. No one is above the law in this country, not even the FBI. I think in other countries, they do though. Certainly somewhere in Europe."

"We should ask Emily," JJ says. "She went to Europe a lot when she was younger, right?"

When Emily shows up for work, Morgan asks her. "So Emily, I was wondering whether they have government-hired assassins in other countries, like, to kill the really bad criminals and stuff."

Emily doesn't even look surprised when she answers. "Yes. In some places in Europe and Asia, I believe they do. Especially in the Slavic regions."

"You don't have any - ah, personal experience with this, do you?" Reid says, intending a joke.

"No." Emily says shortly. "Now if you don't mind, I have a lot of paperwork to do."

"Okay..." Reid backs off.

Aaron Hotchner watches this entire scene unfold from his office. He's getting really worried about Emily - if she has information about hired assassins in Russia, or anywhere, he needs to make sure that she isn't keeping anybody's secrets who she shouldn't be. He just has to figure out how to get that information without tipping anyone off.

* * *

_Vladimir Reznikov [REZ-ni-koff] sits on a torn leather couch, his second bottle of vodka in hand, not quite to the point of slurring his words because can he ever hold his alcohol. He picks up a phone and types speed dial 1. "Dmitri," he says into the phone in English, because who knows who could be listening, "Check the GPS. Is it working? It looks as if we've lost the signal on Voron...and whatever you do, DO NOT LET ANYONE FIND OUT ABOUT THIS! Over and out." says Vladimir, and hangs up the phone. This could be bad, this could be very very bad._

* * *

**RUSSIAN ASSASSIN GONE MISSING**_ a Moscow newspaper says the very next day. Someone named Dmitri Reznikov is going to be in very, very big trouble for leaking this story, whether it was him or not. It doesn't matter, someone must be blamed...It could've gone all the way to America, in fact!_

* * *

And it has. It has reached the FBI and Aaron Hotchner is reading it right now. His eyebrows arch as the only expression of surprise on his face, otherwise he looks, as usual, quite calm...

**What does the article say? Leave your comments!**


	4. Publicity

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 4 (Publicity)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds. **

**Hey, so I've just been getting tons of ideas for this story, and I know the chapters aren't too long, but I hope you'll forgive me! Anyway, this chapter should explain a lot. R&R!**

Emily steps into the bullpen. "I need to talk to you," Hotch says, dead serious.

"Okay…" Emily follows him into his office, a very slight hint of discomfort on her face.

"Prentiss, I'm going to ask you a question and I'm going to get a straight answer, all right?"

"No promises," Emily jokes, but when she sees the seriousness on Hotch's face she nods. "Yeah. All right."

"Have you ever been to Russia?"

"Yes, I told you that, remember? I used to travel there with my parents…I speak Russian quite well."

Hotch nods. "And do you know anything about assassins in any part of Russia, any specific group?"

"I know there are assassins in Russia. There always have been," Emily says, "Some of them are even rumored to work for the Kremlin or the government." she explains further.

"Okay. And Emily, have you ever had any contact with any of these groups?"

Emily doesn't even pause. "No. I just heard about them because my parents had pretty important jobs; the people I heard it from were reliable, and there was nothing shady about them in the least."

"I received a newspaper article from Moscow," Hotch tells Emily, "And I need you to tell me if you can give me any insight on it."

"Why all the secrecy?" Emily wonders.

"I can't tell you just now," Hotch admits. He's beginning to think more and more that perhaps Emily has met these people at some time or another, and he wants to protect her. He doesn't want her to get into any kind of trouble with someone who could connect her to these…assassins.

"Okay. Let me see the article," Prentiss requests.

Hotch hands her a printout of it, which she reads quickly. No names come up at all, leading Emily to believe that this was a story never meant to be leaked. No personal information was included, except a written translation of a phone call. It almost seemed that someone had wiretapped whoever was having a phone conversation with the assassins and then sent the information to the press. Why someone would do that, Emily couldn't be sure. Perhaps it was simply for publicity. However, she couldn't help but be a little worried.

"Not that I'm the expert opinion, but I'd say this is fake," Emily lies to Hotch. "Russian assassins…they'd be more careful than this. Daily checks for wiretaps and…they'd never let anyone partner with them who might snitch later on. This is completely a publicity stunt," she continues reassuringly.

"Likely…" Hoch says. "Thanks, Emily."

"No problem."

He touches her lightly on the arm. He can feel the slightest muscle tense up in her arm, but not as much as it had appeared when JJ had tried. She gives him a small smile and then steps out of the office.

**So...what do you guys think so far?**


	5. Involved

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 5 (Involved)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

**So, here's the next chapter! I'm not totally sure where I'm going with this, but...**

"What was that about?" asks, of course, Morgan when Emily walks out of Hotch's office.

"Nothing, just a newspaper article from Russia that Hotch wanted me to have a look at," Emily says nonchalantly.

Reid is about to open his mouth and say something when Rossi calls, "Hey Reid, come here, I need to talk to you for a sec."

So Reid follows Rossi to his office. "Don't say anything, kid." Rossi tells Reid, "I think Emily's hiding something."

"So do I," Reid admits, "I've noticed that while she usually has a very strong emotional level, well, this is getting to be even more than usual. She's barely even spoken or smiled the past few days."

"You're right," Rossi says, "I wonder what's going on with her. Does it have to do with that newspaper article?"

"Well she was acting like this before Hotch even showed her the article," Reid reminds him.

"True," Rossi concurs. "Well, don't talk to JJ or Morgan about it. I mean, they probably already know, but just to be safe…"

"Yes, okay." Reid agrees.

* * *

_"Dmitri, what have you done?" Vladimir says into the phone. "How did that story get leaked?" Vladimir is drinking vodka again, which would explain why he's not thinking clearly, but he's too far gone to notice now._

_"I don't know, I swear!" Dmitri doesn't sound scared, but agitated._

_"Tashchi svoyu zadnitsu zdes [Get your ass over here]! Now!" Vladimir shouts, slipping into Russian again in his intoxicated state. _

_Several minutes later, Dmitri bursts through the door. "It could've been just as much your fault, you know!" he shouts, but Vladimir is too drunk to care. _

_He pulls out a gun and points it at Dmitri. "This is a business that requires a trust that I don't have in you." he says. _

_"But - but we're brothers!" protests Dmitri. _

_Vladimir doesn't say anything. He pulls the trigger and shoots Dmitri in the chest. _

_"Now to find Voron," he mutters as he walks around his apartment cleaning fingerprints off of things. _

* * *

Meanwhile, Voron herself is in America, wondering if she'd truly done it. If she'd escaped from these two evil men without detection. After all, her GPS tracker is in the bottom of the Hudson, and God knows after her decision to break away, it took her six months to even figure out how to get the tracker out of her arm..._  
_

Voron knows she's made a lot of mistakes, but she thinks that if she could just make it absolutely certain that the Reznikovs couldn't find her, then the guilty feeling will go away. Voron doesn't have too much experience with guilt - some would say she doesn't have the capacity for it. She'd taken a sociopathy test when she joined the Reznikovs, and scored high. Voron isn't really a sociopath, though, she's just very good at hiding her emotions. This time, though...the guilt is starting to eat away at her.

**Oh no! What is it that Voron feels guilty about?**


	6. Killer

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 6 (Killer)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

Voron decides to speak Russian as little as possible. She, in fact, wants to take everything tying her to Vladimir and Dmitri Reznikov and destroy it immediately. It shouldn't be too hard, she rationalizes. After all, she has a real job. She has friends, a life here in America. However, there is still a slight problem. She's killed people. A lot of people. Once, she tried to tell herself to stop keeping track of the people she's killed. It would make it much easier, wouldn't it? But she can't. She has a notebook, in which she's written about every life she's taken. And when she counts them, she feels a little sick to her stomach. She's killed 219 people directly, not to mention the many more she's gathered intelligence on, spied on, distracted, helped others kill.

But now she has to stop thinking about this because she has to go to work.

Voron is pretty surprised no one at work has seen anything suspicious yet, but then again she's very very careful. She survives her day at work and then arrives home to continue her evidence destroying. She turns on her fireplace and begins throwing things in. All the disguises she had to wear as an assassin, all the documents that she has helped gather, even her fake passports. She cannot, however, bring herself to burn the notebook, which she keeps with her at all times.

* * *

"I just realized what's been bugging me all day!" the peppy Penelope Garcia announces to Derek Morgan.

"What is it, babygirl?"

But they're interrupted by Hotch. "Where's Emily?" he asks.

"She left, why?" Reid wonders.

"Emily never, ever leaves early," JJ says, looking a little worried.

"Maybe she has a hot date," jokes Morgan.

"I don't think so," Hotch says frowning. "I think Emily is involved in something, and I need you guys to keep it quiet, but I'd also like to ask your opinion on it."

"All right..."

"I think Emily is somehow connected to a group of Russian assassins," Hotch blurts out.

"What do you mean?"

"I think she knows them. I think they know her. I think they're going to try to get her into some kind of trouble."

Rossi thinks about this. "It's possible, I mean, we know Emily...made some mistakes as a teenager, and we know that she's been to Russia. Perhaps she met them, owes them a favor?"

"That's what I'm thinking, too," Hotch agrees. "She thought she turned off her computer when she left, but actually she only turned off her monitor..."

"Hotch, you didn't!" JJ says.

"I had to," Hotch says apologetically. "She was writing a letter to someone, but - and here's why I came to you guys - it was in Russian. She'd only gotten through a few lines, but she was writing about someone named Voron."

"Voron is the Russian word for Raven," Reid says. "Perhaps it's some kind of code name?"

**What will happen to Emily? R&R!**


	7. Reznikov

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 7 (Reznikov)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

**Just want to give a shout-out to all my reviewers so far :) Thanks a bunch and it inspires me to update faster. Also a special mention to ****_Kensii Taylor_**** who gave me the idea for the name Raven. Anyway, on with the story. Don't forget to comment!**

_Vladimir Reznikov is now faced with the tough task of informing the Russian government that he's just killed his brother. This isn't like the hundreds of other times he's talked to the Kremlin about the people he's killed, because this time, it is someone that is supposed to be alive. And on top of that, he's lost GPS connection with Voron. Those two together...he'll be lucky if he gets fired. More than likely, he'll go to jail. The Russian government is corrupt, he knows, and they can do whatever they want if it's under the table..._

_Vladimir knocks on his boss' door. "Come in," says the cold, calculating voice of Kremlin official, Anastasia [Ah-na-STAH-zia] Malysheva, in Russian. "What have you screwed up now, Vladimir?"_

_"Who says I screwed up?"_

_"I know you did."  
_

_"Yes, I suppose you're right. I...I lost track of Voron."_

_"She was one of our best, Vladimir! Where is she?"_

_"America...I'm not too sure what state."_

_"Well, we will have to send someone after her. Not you, though. Screw-up." _

_"Then, who?"_

_"Perhaps your brother, Dmitri?"_

_"That...That can't happen."_

_"And why not, Vladimir?"_

_"I...He...He killed himself, Stacey." _

_"I am Anastasia to you. And no he didn't."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"You're lying. You killed him."_

_"I did no such thing."  
_

_"Really?" Anastasia has the most terrifying eyes Vladimir has ever seen. _

_"No. It's true. I killed him." _

_"You, Vladimir, are fired. I would put you in jail, but I don't want you in the spotlight in any way, lest people find out about our little...mistake."_

_Vladimir has slept with a lot of people, but Anastasia Malysheva, he decides, was the best affair he's ever had._

* * *

At the BAU, work continues as usual, with Emily mostly back to normal. Except, as all the team members notice, she isn't smiling. At all. In fact, they don't think they've seen her smile since the case with the brunette women being killed. Maybe, thinks JJ, that's what's had her all twisted up, not this whole Russian assassin thing. But then JJ remembers the Raven letter, and thinks twice. She wonders if she should approach Emily. Just then, Penelope comes bursting in and walks over to Derek. If she wants to talk about Emily, now is the time since Emily's in the bathroom. "Morgan?"

"Yes?"

"What I was telling you about yesterday…what I thought was weird?"

"Yeah, what was it?"

"What's in that notebook that Prentiss is always carrying around with her?"

**Yikes! Anastasia means business! I guess Vladimir got lucky...and whatever is in Emily's notebook?**


	8. Notebook

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 8 (Notebook)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

**Yup, I'm back! I'm enjoying reading your reviews and I'm so glad I've kept you all guessing!**

_"So your job is to go to America and find Voron," Anastasia informs another of her subordinates, Alexei [ah-lyek-SAY]. "She works in a big building - the address is written here. According to her tracker, when she's not out...assassinating, she's at work a lot. So you'll likely find her there, all right?"_

_"What is her real name?"_

_"I do not know what her American name is. Simply ask for Raven when you get there, and I'm certain she'll step forward. Please make haste. We need her," Anastasia smiles._

_"I will not disappoint you," Alexei promises._

_"Good."_

* * *

Voron has been in America for a long, long time, doing missions for the Reznikovs, but only a few months ago did she realize that this person - this assassin - is not who she's meant to be. She feels incredibly guilty, not to mention ashamed for having not realized this earlier. However, she was only seventeen when she met Vladimir and Dmitri. How could she have known then that she would end up as an assassin? For the Russian government?

But the thing is, she knows she's good at her job. She has to be, otherwise she wouldn't have been hired. She could effectively track someone down, kill them with one shot, and escape unseen and without remorse. Until now. And if she's seen the remorse over killing one person practically destroy someone, then just imagine how she must be feeling, having killed upwards of 200 people.

* * *

Emily Prentiss is screwed. So royally, royally screwed. She arrives home from work only to find that she's carrying her work notebook. The one in which she writes notes and interviews and lists. And if Emily's work notebook is in her hand, that can only mean one thing. Her other notebook is still at work.

This cannot be happening. Emily has let her emotions crowd out her thoughts by carrying that notebook around and now she has a list on her desk that could get her in very big trouble. Not to mention the fact that the team appeared to be figuring things out. In fact Emily wouldn't be surprised if they had somehow find the letter she's begun typing on her computer. The one in which she very explicitly uses the name Raven.

Emily tries to slow down and make herself think. There isn't a huge chance of her getting caught, she reasons, after all

1) she hasn't been caught yet

2) she's destroyed everything and any evidence

3) it isn't as if anyone's going to come track her down, after all.

Emily sighs. She's going to need a miracle.

**So...what has Emily done that she's afraid of getting caught? Is she somehow involved with Raven?**


	9. List

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 9 (List)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

**Hi guys! I will be updating several times today, because, well, I'm just getting so many ideas! Keep the reviews coming, I'm very very excited for this story and I've finally decided how I want it to end - I even kept myself guessing, ha ha! So what has Emily Prentiss gotten herself into?**

Aaron Hotchner arrives at work at 4:00. He knows Emily will try to arrive early, too, and he has to be there ahead of her. He's getting really worried about her. When he read the rest of the letter on her computer, it mentioned the name Raven, the newspaper article, and a group of people at the Kremlin. This could, possibly, be innocent, but he's worked in the FBI for too long to really believe that.

When he gets to work, he sees a thin notebook which resembles her work notebook, except it's different. He picks it up (knowing he shouldn't) and begins thumbing through the pages. It is a long list of names. There are 219 names on the list, each with a check mark next to the name. Suddenly, Hotch realizes that this isn't just any normal list.

It's a hit list. Emily Prentiss has been carrying a hit list around with her. Who can she be involved with that she's carrying the list for? Raven? The Kremlin? Well, he doesn't have long to wonder because Emily shows up at work at 4:05.

"I should've known you'd show up this early and find that," she mutters.

"Prentiss..."

"It's not what it looks like, Hotch, I swear!"

"Are you sure? Because what it looks like to me is a hit list, Prentiss. Answer me now. Is this a hit list?"

Emily freezes. This is the first time it's ever been difficult for her to lie. All her life, she's been an absolutely excellent liar - she has to be, to fool people like Aaron Hotchner and God forbid, David Rossi. And yet, she now stands here in front of one of these men, and freezes. Like a deer in the headlights. And Hotch sees this.

"Who are you involved with, Prentiss?"

"It's - it's no one, Hotch, I - I..."

* * *

_Alexei finds the building on Anastasia's note card. He's not sure what he's supposed to do - simply go in and ask for Raven? It isn't as if she's going to come forward - she's killed people, after all, for the Russian government or not. _

_But Alexei trusts Anastasia, so into the building he goes..._

_This proves difficult, however, because there are so many guards and people with guns everywhere. Where had Anastasia said that Raven worked, anyway? _

**And there it is, people! Alexei makes it to America. What does that mean for Raven, and for that matter, Emily? **


	10. Collision

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 10 (Collision)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

**Okay, guys, so this is not the end but we will be finding out a lot in this chapter. I know most of you will like how this turns out, but a few will not - so I'll make you a deal. Read this chapter without an opinion on how it should end, and if you still don't like how it goes, PM me an idea for an alternate ending and when I'm done with the story I will write that. Happy readings!**

Voron has realized only too late that the Kremlin knows where she works in America. She doubts that they'll come find her, but she can't be sure. She intended to go in and quit her job, but some complications have arisen with her boss. She's trapped. Some might call her foolish for not realizing some of these things sooner. But she'd tell them...she was brainwashed, she really was. She'd gotten in with the Reznikovs when she was only seventeen. She was terrified of them. Getting out had been the right choice, but was she really too late?

* * *

_Alexei tries to remember what Anastasia told him to get past the armed guards. Who should he say he is? "I'm working for Anastasia Malysheva, Secretary of Agriculture at the Kremlin," Alexei tells each of the guards. When they ask for ID, he gives it to them. "I'm here to talk to someone, but it's high clearance," he informs the guard. _

_And Alexei is allowed in to the building. _

_On the card, Anastasia has written what floor of the building Raven works on. Alexei finds that floor. He knows no other way to find her than to shout her name, because he doesn't know what she looks like. Anastasia really didn't think this through, he decides, but he has to at least try so as not to betray her. _

_He stands at the entrance to what looks like a bullpen. Several people in police-like uniforms are milling around, as are other people wearing normal clothes. _

_"IS THERE ANYONE HERE NAMED RAVEN?" he calls out. "I have a message. It's from the Secretary of Agriculture at the Kremlin. Please step forward. It is of most importance." _

_Subconsciously, five pairs of eyes go toward a tall brunette who looks quite like a raven herself. He runs over and grabs her, and soon two guns are trained at his head. _

_"Drop her," says a voice. _

_"I'm afraid I can't do that," he informs them. "Ask her. Ask this woman if she's willing to come with me." _

_"Well?"_

_"I need to go with him," her voice sounds clear, yet a bit strained. "Let go of me, I'll go willingly." _

_And the woman does indeed go willingly. She walks behind Alexei, shooting him death glares. Just as he exits the room he hears a call from behind him, which he ignores. _

_"What's going on, Emily?"_

**Wow, okay! Whatever is Emily going to do? And what does the team think? **


	11. Favor

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 11 (Favor)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

**Here's the next chapter! Let's see what Raven/Emily is up to now...**

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now," Emily hisses into Alexei's ear.

"Well, I'm standing behind you, and I have a gun also," Alexei points out.

"How dare you show up at my work like that?"

"Raven, we need you. You're our best assassin! Not only do you have the skills, but you work for the FBI, so you can give us the intel, too. Why do you think we let you work such a high risk job? We needed the info, Raven, we still do. Come back and work for us, and I can straighten it out with the FBI."

"I will not."

"Well that leaves me only one choice," Alexei says, and for one horrible moment Emily is certain this is the end.

"I'm going to inform the FBI of what you've done."

Emily breathes a huge sigh of relief. She'll live, at least for now.

"What can I do?" she asks.

"Nothing. Join us, or we'll tell." He pins Emily up against the building. "Got it?"

"Got it." Emily chokes out.

She walks back to her house, not feeling able to face Hotch and the team just now. Royally screwed? That's an understatement.

* * *

_Anastasia is majorly pissed. "Alexei, what are we going to do? We need Raven!" _

_"She refused," Alexei says simply. "I told her we'd inform the FBI of what she's done, but..."_

_"We cannot prosecute her," Anastasia says._

_Not catching on to her meaning, Alexei asks, "The US court system, can, can they not?"_

_"Some of the people Raven killed were in the United States," explains Anastasia, "so feasibly, yes, they could try. But we cannot let that happen."_

_"Why?"_

_"I didn't think I'd ever be saying this, but I owe Raven a huge favor."_

_"Really?"_

_"How do you think she got into this group, Alexei?"_

_"Vladimir found her."_

_"Well, sort of. But what really happened was she saved my life. She was on the wrong side of town here, when she was 17. She got into the middle of a shoot-out that I was in. Picked up a gun, killed a guy. Saved a lot of us. He was a target, a hit. So I asked her, Vladimir and I, to join us. Some threats, such as prosecution for the man she killed, may have regrettably been involved." She pauses. "I may have taken lives, but it was for the good, Alexei. And I always keep my promises. I owe Emily my life. Help me convince America not to prosecute." _

_"I can try to talk to some people," Alexei concurs. "I know you're not in good with the President, but I am," he explains. "I'll tell him to inform the FBI that Raven should be allowed to continue her job, because she's saved thousands of Russian lives by taking out these people. I'll tell the President to say that if they don't let Raven back in, Russia will..."_

_"Russia will begin vetoing America's propositions on the Security Council."_

_"Would they really do that?"_

_"No, but America doesn't know that."_

_"Will this work, Anastasia?"_

_"I sure hope so."_

**Wow! Some might say Prentiss is a very lucky lady...what do you think of Anastasia wanting to save her? **


	12. Contribution

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 12 (Contribution)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

**Some of you guys will love me at the end of this, and some will probably hate me. Let's see...**

"Prentiss, my office," Hotch says coldly.

Emily stands up, crying for the first time in months. She's been waiting on a bench, head in her hands. She's going to jail. She's going to be fired and then she's going to jail. Anastasia's an evil woman. She could've even ordered Emily killed.

Emily steps into the office, tears streaming down her face, choking back sobs. She tries unsuccessfully to wipe her eyes.

"Prentiss, I talked to the Russian government, and they gave me this letter for you. I did not read it, although in light of what happened, I believe I should've." He hands her a manila envelope. "The Kremlin let me know that you should be allowed to continue working here, even though you have killed people in America." Emily winces. "They have threatened us with Security Council vetoes," Hotch continues, "which I do not believe will actually happen. However, I have decided to keep you on.

"While I know you've killed people, you've also saved lives. While I know you should've told me, I'm going to keep you on because you're an excellent agent."

"Thank you so much, I - I really don't know what to say..."

"How about you explain to me why the hell you did...all that," Hotch requests.

"It started when I was 17, Hotch, they brainwashed me, threatened me, I wish I told you guys sooner though..." Emily is crying again.

"Well, Emily, I know - I choose to believe - that you have killed for the good, but you, Prentiss, got very lucky. Someone owed you a huge favor."

"Favor?"

"Well, likely. You should be going to jail, you know. You shouldn't be working here. But I confess, a small contributing factor to me keeping you here is this..." Hotch says before grabbing Emily by the shoulders and kissing her.

For a moment, Emily freezes, but then she kisses back. The kiss is filled with hunger and sadness.

Emily pulls away first. "We shouldn't have done that," she says regretfully. "Thank you so much, Hotch, but I, uh...have to go...um, read this letter," she says.

* * *

Emily decides she really will read the letter. She pulls it out of the envelope and lays it on her desk, well aware of all the other agents staring at her, none daring to be the first to speak. This is what the letter says:

_To Raven: _

_I told the people at the FBI to give you this letter. I don't know for sure whether they're going to, but if they do I would like to say this. You, Raven, should not be going to jail. You're the last person who should be sitting in a prison. You helped us save so many lives, and I know you can save even more working at the FBI. I know I was mean to you, but the truth is you saved my life. I couldn't let you go to jail after that, Raven. So here our lives part, and we can both go on. The very best of luck to you, Raven. _

_Yours Sincerely,  
Anastasia_

A single tear rolls down Emily's cheek as she finishes with reading the letter. She's safe.

**Emily and Hotch...and Anastasia's apologized!**


	13. Epilogue

**Story: Emily Unveiled  
Fandom: Criminal Minds  
Author: hippolover1326  
Chapter: 13 (Epilogue)**

**I do not own Criminal Minds. **

**Thirteen seems an appropriate place to end this story; for me it has always been my lucky number. I hope you enjoyed reading it! Love you all :D**

It's been a week since Hotch told Emily she can stay at the BAU. Emily feels terrible for betraying them all, so she has a conversation with the team the next chance she gets.

"Guys, this is really hard to do, but I want to talk," she begins. Everyone looks at her expectantly. "I just wanted to say that I'm incredibly sorry for all that's happened. I…I never dreamed it would go this far.

"When I was seventeen, I accidentally got in the middle of a street shooting in Russia. I shot and killed a man, then this lady named Anastasia told me I had to join her group of assassins for the Kremlin. Well, I was seventeen. I believed her. So for years, I went around with my hit list, which by the way I still have, because I feel so damn guilty about it all…but anyway, I digress. The reason I pushed so hard to get a job here, that's because my then-supervisors wanted me in a job where I could gather intel…I had a tracker in my arm and everything.

"So anyway, lately I've just been feeling this incredible guilt over the whole thing; now I know I saved lives by killing those people…but the feeling doesn't really go away. But I also feel horrible about hiding it from you guys. I know I do that a lot – keep things locked up inside, I mean. But that was never my intention, and I hope that someday you'll forgive me.

"Rossi…you're the crazy uncle that everybody loves.

"Reid…you're our baby genius.

"Morgan…you're our chocolate god.

"Garcia and JJ, you two are my sisters.

"And Hotch…I just don't know what I'd do without you.

"You guys are my life. You guys are the reason I wake up every morning, and the last thing I think about before I go to bed. Now Anastasia, the woman I told you about…she's since apologized. What I want to say is that I can't believe that I would risk what I had with you guys, for them. Anastasia and Vladimir and Dmitri. It's true that they've helped shape me into who I am, but I don't know anymore whether that's a good thing. I should have told you earlier, and it was just awful of me not to. I can't apologize enough. I just have to say, I love all you guys. I really do. More than anything, and you have to believe that."

By the end of her little speech Emily is sobbing, and for the first time ever, she doesn't try to hide that. JJ is crying too, and Penelope and Derek are both sniffling.

"Emily, we're past the fact that you shouldn't have done what you did," Hotch says, "and we're going to move on. You're going to be a part of this team, and a damn good one, too."

He gives Emily a hug, followed by JJ and then the rest of the team.

Emily smiles through her tears. Now this, right here, is where she's truly meant to be.


End file.
